30th August 2023: A new interactive comedy quiz show about artificial intelligence (AI) generating emails, is set to feature at the Dublin Fringe Festival this September.

Funded by the Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) Discover Programme and Trinity Long Room Hub Arts and Humanities Research Institute, the show, titled ‘Who Wants To Write An Email?’ aims to engage the public in a dialogue about the science that shapes our society.

Created by artist and performer, Laura Allcorn (Institute For Comedic Inquiry), and researcher Dr Jennifer Edmond (School of Languages Literatures and Cultural Studies, Trinity College Dublin, and the ADAPT SFI Research Centre), the interactive show will ask some thought-provoking questions, from ‘Do we want AI to handle our personal communications?’ to ‘Can you tell what is written by a human from AI?’ Developed through co-creation sessions held across Ireland, it will run at the Lir Academy, Studio 2, Trinity College, from Saturday 9th – Tuesday 12th September.

Speaking about the project, Laura Allcorn said: “We created this interactive quiz show to make it fun for audiences to explore how AI powered generative text applications (like ChatGPT) actually work. Not just that, but to have a laugh while questioning how this application of AI shapes our identities, relationships, thinking, and language. What exactly does it mean to be human in an automated world?”

Head of Education and Public Engagement at SFI, Dr Lisa Higgins said: “AI is increasingly becoming part of our daily lives, shaping our society, economy and our world. While offering the potential to help us accelerate research, for example in tackling the climate crisis or in finding new cures for diseases, we are still learning how to navigate its capabilities. A diversity of voices must be included in debating how we best manage the challenges it also presents. SFI supports engaging the public in these important conversations and theatre is a wonderfully creative and novel way to do so.”

Since autumn of 2022 text generating AI applications, such as ChatGPT, have captured our imaginations. Think you can outsmart AI? This is your chance! Audience members will have the opportunity to take the hot seat and win prizes. All they have to do is think like an AI.

The show runs at the following locations:

Tickets: https://www.fringefest.com/festival/whats-on/who-wants-to-write-an-email

Duration: 75 mins

And

Tickets: https://visualcarlow.ie/whats-on/who-wants-to-write-an-email